How To Stay Motivated With HubPages

Introduction

Hey, we've all had one of those days, right? You wake up in the morning, or come in after work, and you are excited to see just how well your hubs have done. Your excitement quickly fades to disappoint when you see you've made only a few cents today, or possibly nothing at all. I've sure had those days. In fact, today was one such day for me. My hubs earned 20 times less today than they did the day before. That's a pretty big drop!

So, what can we do to keep motivated and, most importantly, keep those hubs coming? This hub reveals some of the techniques I use to keep myself positive and keep producing. I'd also like to hear from you, so be sure to share your comments below and share your own strategies and techniques for maintaining your morale on the tough days.

Perspective is key.

Put Things into Perspective

Last night I made an interesting calculation. I worked out that with an average of only 50 cents a day coming from hubs, they were providing a better investment for me per month than $40,000 would if it were in my current bank account and accruing interest. That was a pretty amazing discovery for me.

If you're starting to feel demotivated about your earning potential here on HubPages, I'd invite you to do the same. Find the current interest rate offered by your bank or credit union for your savings account, if you use one, and work out how much money you would need to have in there to generate the same profit as your hubs are. No matter how little they may be making now, you're likely to experience that same realization for yourself. Even a small return here, is better than the returns you're going to see on all but the biggest fortunes from an average financial institution.

The Passive Income Potential

When I get demotivated about the performance of my hubs on HubPages, I remind myself of why I'm doing this in the first place. Sure, I really enjoy connecting with the community, and sharing my thoughts or discoveries, but that's not why I put in all the time and effort I put in here. I do it because HubPages represents freedom to me. It represents an opportunity. Legitimate passive income is available here.

I know that this is a platform where I can be rewarded for my efforts not just one time, like a typical pay-per-hour job, for a task I complete. I can be receive rewards on my work for the rest of my life here. And with the HubPages referral program, I can help guide others to a great secondary income source and also benefit from that, as well, after they Sign up for HubPages.

When you're looking at your monthly earnings and wondering why you're still putting in the effort, just remember that this type of work requires a consciousness shift. It isn't about what your hubs made last month, or what they've made so far this month. It's about what they're going to make over the next ten years and beyond. That's the power of passive income. Once you build that hub, it will be here to make you money for the life of the site!

It can be sometimes tempting to bring a typical "pay-per-hour" mentality to HubPages or other similar platforms. If you spend a few hours on making what you believe is a really excellent hub, it sure can be a bit depressing if it doesn't take off right away and start paying you back for your time, but remember, be in it for the long haul.

I'm going to make a confession here: Years ago I signed up for a similar site, and I put a very very minimal effort into the content I created on it. I thought it was pretty good at the time, but looking back on it, it was some pretty sub-par stuff. Now I made the equivalent of 4 hubs there (of course they weren't called hubs), and when I didn't see money coming in right away, I wrote the place off as a waste of my time, and forgot about all about it. 2 years later, I was somehow reminded and went to check my account. In all honesty, I expected a couple of dollars to be there. Instead, I found I had a balance over $10, and had in fact lost more more money due to inactivity (it was automatically donated to charity!). I was shocked. I also realized that if I had just kept up that original minimal effort, by now I would have assembled a collection that would reliably generate several hundred a year. That's when I became a "true believer" in this sort of thing.

When I'm starting to feel like those dollar and cents just aren't worth the trouble, I remember that. A lot can change over a short period of time. Don't be surprised if those hubs that seem like a total waste of time to you now end up still producing for you over the long-term.

Need a hand?

Reach Out To The Community

HubPages strength comes from it's community. In times where you feel demotivated, reach out to others. Hop some hubs, and leave positive feedback for those who are, like yourself, share their writing with the world. There's a principle that states "inflow is proportional to outflow". In other words, when you're in need of some motivation yourself, provide it to others, and you will see a return on that.

There are so many great tools built into this platform, from the forums, to the comments, to fan mail, and questions. Take full advantage of them. Not only will it extrovert your attention, and get you focused back on the community, but it will reward you with increased recognition, attention, and yes, traffic.

Build to win.

Take an Inventory

If your hubs just aren't producing, take a closer look. Check out your stats, and arrange the columns to show traffic from highest to lowest for a specific period of time. Look at what worked well, and look at what didn't. Find the commonalities among your top producing hubs. Did they share a theme? Did they share a certain quality? Were they written in a similar fashion?

It's always easier to keep your spirits up when you see that you're getting good results on your work. While traffic isn't necessarily a direct indicator of income, you will likely find that the hubs that produce the higher amounts of returns, do receive the higher amounts of traffic. This is an easy way to help you focus in a direction you can feel is more constructive. You don't need to be limited by this, but it can help keep you writing and producing hubs, if you see that even the one's that didn't do well have something to teach you. There really is no such thing as wasted time when in comes to hubs, as long as you're learning and evolving.

A challenge can be a great way to stay on task.

Join A Challenge

There are a number of community-driven challenges you can join, where you'll receive support and motivation from others who are also undertaking them. One very popular initiative is the "30 Hubs in 30 Days HubChallenge". It even has it's own section on the forum. Take advantage of that, because it's a guarantee that the more hubs you produce, and the more practice you get in, the better your results will become, and once you reach your own level of certainty on that, you will have what you need to become a truly prolific and very profitable author on HubPages.

Goals: set them, achieve them.

Know Your Goals

Know what your "magic number" is, as far as income from HubPages. Everybody's is different. $1 a day is a very common goal to start with. Some people, instead, look at their expenses. Maybe you want to produce enough hubs to have your cell phone bill paid for each month. Maybe you want to have your rent covered. Whatever it is, be honest with yourself, and be specific. What goal will you set that you can be totally satisfied with? You don't need to stop there, but find something that you personally feel is obtainable to works towards.

For many people a small goal can be a great way to start off. Instead of focusing on the money, it might help to make your goal more real by basing it around a product. Can you make enough money with HubPages to earn yourself a free pizza each month? Absolutely. Who wouldn't want a free pizza? How about a free movie each month? What about starting off with a free movie rental every month? Use whatever works for you.

I find that setting goals for myself really helps keep me on target, and gives me something to celebrate about. I love the idea that with HubPages I can set higher and higher goals and if I do put in the effort, I can see those returns building and building overtime. When I make each week a better week than the one that came before it, I know for sure that I'm going down the right path, and that hope fueled by accomplishment can be a very powerful motivator.

Try the Guide!

I put many hours of HubPages success strategy research into action with a guide I wrote to save others the time and effort that I spent filtering through all the noise. In the HubPages GIANT Guide to Getting Traffic and Making Money, I lay out the strategies I personally use to increase my traffic and income potential. It's a very lengthy hub, which I update as needed, so if you're looking for some new things to try, check it out. We both know that there's nothing more motivational than success, and I've done my best to provide basic, workable strategies for new and veteran members alike.

This Hub Has Been Nominated!

The hub you've just read has been nominated for a "HubNugget Award". This is an award given to new authors on HubPages for a hub that meets high quality standards, as selected by the HubNuggets Team. If you've enjoyed this, please vote for it. You can also view the other great hubs which have also been nominated. The deadline to vote is Wednesday July 27.

Comments

No HTML is allowed in comments, but URLs will be hyperlinked. Comments are not for promoting your articles or other sites.

sending

Carlon Michelle

7 years agofrom USA

Bud thank you... Of all the hubs I've read about writing for Hubpages I must say this has been most helpful to me. I have been having such a hard time figuring out what to write that all I've done is researched and scared myself from actually putting things together and publishing. With your insight I now know what to do and that starts with the 30 hubs in 30 day challenge. Thank you again. You are truly brilliant! Smile!

Kathy

7 years agofrom The beautiful Napa Valley, California

Hello Bud Gallant. I'm sorry I didnt see this earlier so that I could support you through an UP vote...you've written such an interesting and entertaining hub..I really like the way in which you talk "to" your readers...as if we're having a conversation or you are a professor talking w/students. Excellent advice! I plan to read your Giant guide in the near future...it's late now and I'm closing down shop for the night. UP Awesome Useful and Interesting.

Sriparna

7 years agofrom New Delhi

Congratulations for your HubNugget win! I really enjoyed your hub, especially setting of targets. I think that's a great way to start having simple targets. Though I had started writing hubs as I wanted to get a platform and freedom for writing what I liked, but now I do check my adsense regularly and think the way you've mentioned in your hub and feel depressed occasionally, it was a good hub to keep up the motivation! And giving example of the consequences of being inactive is also helpful!

Movie Master

7 years agofrom United Kingdom

Hi Bud, Congratulations on being a HubNugget winner, very well deserved!

Happy writing, I love your hubs and I look forward to reading more:-)

Rob Winters

7 years ago

Up & Useful Bud.We all need reminding of this from time to time so thanks for reminding me on this occassion. Very well written hub, congrats,Rob.

M. T. Dremer

7 years agofrom United States

The perspective and passive income sections of this hub spoke the most to me. I want very much for HubPages to provide a monthly income. That is to say, I get a check each month. But that's a pretty lofty goal, so when it doesn't happen I easily get discouraged. But you're right that it's earning way more than any interest and that it's all being made passively, when I'm away from the computer. All things considered, even a small amount of money is an accomplishment to be proud of. Great hub!

Karen Banes

7 years agofrom Canada

"I worked out that with an average of only 50 cents a day coming from hubs, they were providing a better investment for me per month than $40,000 would if it were in my current bank account and accruing interest." This is sad reflection on current interest rates but certainly something to think about when you're demotivated re hubbing! Congrats on the HubNugget win.

FloraBreenRobison

7 years ago

Congratulations, Bud on coming in first on the hubnuggets! 38%. Not only is that first in your category, that is second highest overll all. well done.

ExoticHippieQueen

7 years ago

Great information, Bud. Excellent hub! Apparently I am doing something wrong, I don't make anywhere near a dollar a day!

AUTHOR

Bud Gallant

7 years agofrom Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Flora, I think you make a great point there about HubPages. It really is much more enjoyable writing on your own topics. That sounds like an interesting hub, for sure. I will check it out. Congratulation to you, as well! Thanks for the comments!

Ripplemaker, Thank you! Glad you posted the link, too. Thanks!

Sakesare, Thanks for the comment! Glad you liked this. I really appreciate the kind words and I'm glad this helped motivate you!

sakesare

7 years ago

Great hub by you Bud....!! really interesting technique of getting motivation. I love this and I am feeling a bit motivated after reading this hub. A quality hub that has no reason for not being voted.

Oh, and congratulations on your nomination! I read your hub before I read the weekly hubnugget nomination hub, or I would have included a congratulations in my earlier post.

FloraBreenRobison

7 years ago

This is a wonderful attitude, Bud. I see this site as a way to write about what I love since you can write on pretty much any topic. Other sites give you the topics in their request for articles on such and such. sometimes you like these topics, sometimes you don't. I think you need to have a balance between what you do for money and what you do for love. Otherwise you can grow to hate what you do, or at least lose the internal love of doing it just for yourself. I've just written a hub on art being a business. You have to find a balance between your heart and your wish to eat regularily.

AUTHOR

Bud Gallant

7 years agofrom Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

ubanichijioke,

Thanks so much for the kind words. I can be difficult to stay motivated, I know. Especially when you are starting out. I'm glad you're going to keep making more hubs, that really is the key to success. If that's the only thing anyone ever did to improve their traffic and income, they'd be on the right path. You're very welcome. Thanks for the comment.

Alexander Thandi Ubani

7 years agofrom Lagos

Great job bud Gallant. Sometimes, i wonder why am not making much here but for the fact that i love what i am doing, i am grateful. I know why am not writing much but i sure will do that since i ve learnt the many techniques of making it here. Thanks for this wonderful hub Bud.

AUTHOR

Bud Gallant

7 years agofrom Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Alladream,

I think that's an excellent attitude and you goal is a great idea. I will definitely do what I can to support you with that. I really think that maintaining a regular commitment is essential and I'm sure it will indeed payoff. Thanks for the comment!

Victor Mavedzenge

7 years agofrom Oakland, California

I liked your comparison to bank interest.That is motivating. I stay motivated by the fact that,you never know when it all reaches critical mass,I try to write so I build a small investment for the future,it may be small now but it will get bigger if i work hard.My goal for the next year (starting today actually )is 4 well written hubs per week as a minimum. Wish me luck! Thanks for another great hub

AUTHOR

Bud Gallant

7 years agofrom Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Jennuhlee, I speak only truth. :)

RTalloni,

Thank you. I'm glad you find it useful. I'm going to be focusing a lot on HubPages strategies and tips, I think. It's something everyone here has in common, so I hope it will provide some good discussion and get all of thinking about how to keep making hubs and making them better.

RTalloni

7 years agofrom the short journey

Thanks for another thorough hub to bookmark. Knowing that you update your hubs on this topic make them absolute musts for reference. Voted up and useful.

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